1992 F150 won't start

Looking for a little help:

Truck was running and starting fine prior to this.

Here's what happened:

Wife drove truck to the store to buy lawn furniture. She paid, then went out to the lot, started the truck and drove to the loading area for her stuff and shut truck off. When she tried to re-start, all she got was a single click, no starter spin at all, buzzers and lights were still working.

I drove down and tried to jump it with no luck...still just got the single click.

I went back today to give it a once over....

Replaced the following: starter, solenoid (on fender wall), and battery...

Still only getting the single click.

I tried jumping the solenoid posts with a screwdriver...still got the same click.

I checked all the connections and they look fine and tight.


What could I be missing?

I was thinking of running a jumper wire from the solenoid to the starter to replace the signal wire, but I think that's the ok part and the source of the single click.

I'm really lost on this one and would appreciate any suggestions on where else to look.

Thanks,
Steve

1992 f150 6cyl automatic

 

If you are getting a click sound from the solenoid, it can be only a few things:

Bad battery (which u replaced)

cables going from battery to starter, and starter to ground, etc

solenoid

starter


Inspect your cables very carefully!

 

Check your ground to the block. may be a bad connection there.
Can try jumpering the NEGATIVE terminal to unpainted metal on the block as a secondary temporary ground, just to prove out ground connection.

Usually it's just the solenoid that goes. Used to have a 84 F150.

 

sounds like youve replaced about everything in the starting system but the cables would probably look at the cables closer even though they appear fine you could have a bad spot if you have a voltmeter you could check voltage drops on each cable but often a bad spot in a cable will get hot very quickly.
you may want to try to turn the engine over by hand to make sure its not locked up if you cant turn it over by hand with a breaker bar on the crank socket remove the drive belt and try again as a locked up belt driven accessory or locked up engine will give the same symptoms and just a single click out of the starter.

 

did you clean the cable terminals and put them on TIGHT!?
My guess is also the ground cable..remove it from the block,clean the area and the cable end and re attach.
If this no-cost fix doesn't do it,I'd then buy a new positive cable..they do go bad internally from age,etc.
goood luck!!

 

Thanks for the input guys, I really appreciate the help.

Got the old girl running today and the culprit was the @#*& battery to starter cable. I had previously checked it for voltage with my old meter and when I saw the needle swing I figured it was fine.

Needless to say it wasn't and after removing the starter and solenoid again, cleaning all contacts again, and banging my head on the parking lot in frustration...I checked everything again and found I was only getting 10 volts at the starter post...cable looked fine, but just goes to show looks can be deceiving.

I hooked my jumper cables to the battery and starter to jump the bad cable and she fired right up.

A seven dollar replacement cable from Pep Boys and a new clamp and I'm on the road again.

I'm not too upset about spending money on the new starter, solenoid, and battery as they were about due for replacement anyway. Now I'm good for another 15 years.

Thanks again for the help.

Steve